• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.699-708
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• 2022

Purpose: Adequate nutrition is to be provided for normal growth and development during early childhood. Currently, childcare teachers provide lunch to most children in Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the portion size provided by teachers and examine the effect of education on food serving size. Methods: The subjects were childcare teachers (n = 120) in charge of children aged 3-5 years at a daycare center in Hanam-si. The survey was conducted through questionnaires which included questions on the general characteristics of the teachers, their nutritional education status, and the source of nutrition information. In addition, the portion sizes of items on the menu currently provided to children were measured and the data were analyzed. To assess the effectiveness of education in determining serving size, the subjects were randomly equally divided into two groups. In the first group (n = 60) theoretical education on nutrition and serving sizes was given, whereas in the second (n = 60), practical education on these topics was provided. Results: The difference between the actual portion size of rice and the serving size announced on the menu was observed to decrease along with the increase in the experience of the teacher, although the differences in the main dish and kimchi were higher. The gap between the serving size mentioned in the menu and the portion size distributed widened as the age of the teachers increased. Notably, the difference between the portion size and the serving size of food decreased after both practical and theoretical education. Furthermore, the effect of education on the serving size of the main dishes (p < 0.001), side dishes (p < 0.01), and kimchi (p < 0.01) was observed to be greater in the practical education group than in the theoretical education group. Conclusion: Regular education should be provided to teachers on the serving sizes mentioned in the menu, as the quantity of food served depends on the experience and age of teachers. In the case of rice, theoretical education alone sufficed to ensure a proper serving size. However, hands-on training on the main and side dishes, and kimchi would be much more helpful.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.194-205
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• 2019

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the dietary behaviors of preschoolers in Daejeon using the Nutrition Quotient for Preschoolers (NQ-P). Methods: The study subjects were recruited from child-care centers and kindergartens located in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon between August and September 2018. A total of 411 preschoolers aged 3 ~ 6 years were included in the data analyses. A questionnaire of NQ-P, which consisted of 14 checklist items on dietary behaviors, was completed by the parents or guardians of the study subjects. The NQ-P scores and its three factors, including "balance", "moderation", and "environment" factors, were calculated according to sex, age, and weight status. Differences in the NQ-P scores and their factors according to sex, age, and weight status were tested using a student's t-test. Results: The mean NQ-P score of the total subjects was $58.5{\pm}9.2$, which was within the medium-low grade. The NQ-P score was $58.5{\pm}9.4$ in boys and $58.6{\pm}9.0$ in girls (p = 0.955). The NQ-P score was similar regardless of the age groups ($57.8{\pm}9.4$ in 3 ~ 4 years vs. $59.2{\pm}9.0$ in 5 ~ 6 years, p = 0.124), whereas subjects aged 5 ~ 6 years showed a significantly higher scores of environment factors than those aged 3 ~ 4 years ($67.9{\pm}16.8$ vs. $61.7{\pm}17.3$). The mean score of the moderation factor was lower in the overweight/obese children compared to the non-overweight/obese children ($46.6{\pm}13.3$ vs. $51.0{\pm}16.2$, p = 0.012). Compared to children aged 3 ~ 4 years, children aged 5 ~ 6 years had higher intakes of vegetable dishes and processed meat. The overweight/obese group showed a higher consumption of processed beverages than the non-overweight/obese group. Conclusion: The current study indicates that the dietary behaviors of preschoolers residing in Daejeon need to be improved. These findings suggest that nutrition education or health interventions targeting young children is necessary for improving their nutritional health status.